No Place Left To Run
by Secera Crystalfire
Summary: Chapter 4 now up! A mysterious epidemic strikes the streets of Tokyo, claiming much of the population and overflowing the hospitals. Weiss joins the race against time to find a cure, and meanwhile, Crawford isn't liking his premonitions...
1. Reversion

No Place Left To Run

By Secera Crystalfire

C1: Reversion

Visions of blood, they ate at him constantly. Nightmares of chaos, accompanying his sleep and pursuing him even while awake. His distorted reality was becoming increasingly severe with each hour of life, threatening to drive him into irreversible insanity. This terrible vision, shown to him by his cursed gift, was this what the future promised?

Precognition did not allow him a choice, it granted what it desired and withheld what it determined should remain unrevealed. No way was there to circumvent the visions, just as it is impossible to escape the future. This terrible, beautiful form of advanced intuition was integrated into his mind, his life, his every moment and every thought. It held complete and undivided control over him. And it was now torturing him with the inevitable future of his own blood.

"Careful, Aya!" Manx called out from behind the counter of the Koneko no Sumu Ie. Aya Fujimiya was standing on top of two precariously balanced footstools, trying desperately to tie up the last bit of ivy above the window. Manx, watching the dark-haired girl, nervously bit her lip as the footstools creaked ominously and began to lean to the right. "Maybe you'd better let one of the boys do that," she suggested.

"I'm…all right." Aya gritted her teeth with determination and tried to stretch just a little bit further. "Almost got it."

"Whoa, Aya, let me get that." Yohji insisted as he came in the front door without knocking. "You're gonna fall and hurt yourself." Ignoring Aya's protests, he lifted her off the footstools and set her carefully on the ground. "Geez, don't kick me! I'm only trying to help."

She stuck out her tongue defiantly, but didn't object as he easily reached up and arranged the ivy.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of another visitor.

"At least someone has the courtesy to knock, unlike one particular blonde Weiss boy I know," Manx teased, poking Yohji's shoulder on her way to get the door.

"Not Weiss, not anymore." Yohji disagreed softly, suddenly turning solemn as he remembered the days of the past.

"Hey, ladies, Yohji," greeted Ken as Manx stepped aside so he could come in. "So Omi and Aya, er…Ran, haven't arrived yet?" The former Weiss members still hadn't managed to kick the habit of calling the red-haired assassin by his sister's name.

"My brother's here, I think he's upstairs taking a shower right now. He didn't have a job today."

"So Ran's still taking odd jobs, eh?" Yohji questioned. "I would have thought he'd have settled down a bit by now. Found one job to stick with, you know? Or maybe gone off to college, he's certainly intelligent enough."

"No," Aya shook her head. "In truth, I think he's still trying to work things out. I'm worried about Ran…won't he ever get over this?"

"I'm sure he'll be all right," Ken comforted. "It's just taking a bit longer for him than it did for us…"

Manx nodded encouragingly before opening the door as another visitor began to knock.

"Hi, everyone!" Sakura Tomoe waved cheerfully with one hand. In the other, she held a platter covered in cookies. "Since this is a special occasion and everyone's finally getting back together, I thought I'd bring something to munch on! Hope you like them. Where's Ran?" Sakura, unlike the others, had adjusted quite quickly to the change of names.

"He'll be out soon," Manx assured, ushering the girl into the room and stealing a cookie as she passed.

Omi and Birman, who attended the same college and were driving here together, walked up before Manx could close the door. "How's it going? It's been so long since everyone's been together like this. Oh, cookies…"

"Not now," Sakura chided as Omi looked longingly at the platter. "They're for later."

Manx quickly swallowed the last bite of her cookie before anyone noticed. "Come on, let's go into the other room so everyone can sit down.

The entire group followed Manx into the remodeled living room that had formerly been known as the 'mission room'. Ran joined them soon after, fiery hair slightly damp and flattened. The conversation tended to focus on the various ways of life that the former comrades had chosen. Omi and Birman described the wonders of college life; Ken was enjoying his job at a bike shop and volunteering to organize a soccer team for the local children. Only Yohji, normally so outgoing, was loath to discuss his choice to return to the police force. The others didn't mind, though…they understood his pain.

I bit later, Manx announced that they should start making dinner, "but not everyone, that would be an absolute mess…I'll choose three people to assist me." She looked around the room, at the calm and attentive ladies, and the men, who were carefully not meeting her eyes. "Aya, you come with me, you're a good cook. How about…you, Sakura, you did well with those cookies…and you, Ken."

Ken looked up in surprise. "Me? Why me?"

"I trust your cooking skill a bit more than the other guys. No offense meant, of course," she stated impassively.

The three chosen traipsed off in the direction of the kitchen. Manx turned to follow them.

"Wait, Manx," Birman stood up. "I'll take your place. I'm sure you're tired of cooking by now, having managed this place for so long. No, I don't mind," she resisted Manx's protests. "You just stay here and enjoy yourself."

That decided, Manx resumed sitting in her place beside Yohji on the sofa. Birman headed off to direct the others in their task.

Right outside the door to the kitchen, she found Aya leaning rigidly against the wall. The younger girl's face was pale and her breath was coming in short, unsteady gasps. "Aya, what's wrong?" Birman asked with a worried tone. The girl had been very susceptible to illness since awakening from her coma.

"I'm all right," Aya assured, her voice wavering slightly. She straightened. "Just felt light-headed for a moment, but it's going away." Smiling cutely, she added, "I'm probably just hungry."

"If you're sure you're okay…" Birman followed Aya into the kitchen.

"I'm sure. Don't worry about me, Birman." She walked over to where Ken had begun slicing carrots and promptly threw up.

"Ack! Aya?!" Ken caught her as she collapsed. "What's wrong?!"

"Sakura, go get Ran." Birman directed urgently. She noticed the redness of blood in the girl's disgorged food. "Quickly!"

Sakura, distress apparent on her face, sprinted through the house. She had noticed the blood, too, and knew that her friend's rasping, unsteady breathing and sudden ghost-like complexion were _not_ good. "Ran! It's Aya! Something's wrong with--" she stopped dead at the scene that awaited her. "Ran!"

Yohji and Omi were kneeling on the floor supporting a deadly pale Ran, covered in his blood. More blood was streaming steadily from his mouth and nose, saturating the carpet and converging with his already dark red hair. Manx was frantically shouting into the phone.

Ran weakly lifted his head at Sakura's arrival. "…Aya?"

"My God, it's the same thing…"

"What?" Yohji questioned fiercely. "What do you mean? Is Aya sick, too?!"

Sakura just nodded, trembling.

Manx slammed the phone down. "They can't send an ambulance. We'll have to drive him to the hospital."

"Omi, help me carry him to the car. Sakura, Manx, you go get Aya," Yohji directed, his voice suddenly imperious. "Why the hell can't they send an ambulance?!"

Manx looked questioningly at Sakura.

"Yeah, Aya's sick, too. Let's go."

It was times like this that made Yohji glad he had joined the police force. The portable siren that he had affixed on Aya's, no, Ran's vehicle made sure that they had a clear path on the way to the hospital. He was driving Ran's white car instead of his own because there was more room. Ken was sitting in the passenger seat, and Manx was supporting the two afflicted Fujimiyas in back. The others would be following in another car. Ran looked terrible leaning against Manx, head on her shoulder, but his sister seemed even worse. She was out cold, while Ran was still semi-conscious, and her face was whiter than Yohji thought possible. She'd lost too much blood already, and was losing more still. Manx carefully stroked the girl's head, removing her hair from her face. It didn't help.

Ran tried to lift his head, eyes dull and unfocused. "Aya…"

Yohji drove into the emergency parking lot, despite the sign that read 'ambulances and hospital personnel only'. Curse it all, he was police! And if they had a problem with it, too bad!

Squealing the brakes, Yohji brought the car to a stop right next to the double doors leading into the hospital. Ken quickly jumped out of the car and went inside. A few minutes later, he returned with some of the hospital staff bearing stretchers. With the aid of Yohji and Ken, they carried Aya and Ran into the building. Manx followed, doing whatever she could to help.

Two long hours later, the former members of Weiss and the three associated women were all assembled in the waiting room. Since Aya and Ran had been brought in, seven more had followed, all who appeared to have the same affliction. Two of the seven had been DOA, dead on arrival. A sense of foreboding hung over the room, as the six watched and waited.

There were many other people in the waiting room, enough so that the hospital staff felt it necessary to bring in more chairs. A number of the people had splotches of blood on their apparel.

Finally, a nurse entered the room and announced, "Visitors to see Aya and Ran Fujimiya, this way, please." The six stood up. "Hmm, no, that won't work," The nurse commented. "Two of you may come. I'm sorry, but the others will have to wait."

They agreed after a moment of discussion that Sakura should go. A minute more, and Omi was also selected because he would be best at getting and understanding the information about the disease. The two followed the nurse down a long corridor and up a flight of stairs before stopping outside room 2-108. The nurse opened the door and gestured for Omi and Sakura to follow.

"Omi, Sakura…" Ran was sitting up on the hospital bed, still very pale but looking somewhat better. A doctor stood over him trying to convince the redhead to lay back down, obviously very frustrated. Ran was completely ignoring him. Also in the room was Aya, still unconscious.

The doctor looked up at the newcomers. "We'll leave you two here with them for a few minutes." He collected a few materials and started for the door. "But _please,_ get him to lay down. He shouldn't be up right now, he's still very sick." The doctor had a pleading look on his face as he followed the nurse outside.

"Ran? How are you feeling?" Sakura asked. "Maybe you should do what the doctor asked…"

"There's no way. I'm fine." He lowered himself defiantly from the bed. "I just want to see how Aya's doing."

Sakura came forward to help as Ran stumbled unsteadily over to Aya. "You don't seem fine."

"I am." Ran assured ardently. He politely shunned her support.

A nurse entered the room at that moment, not the same nurse as before. "What? …You shouldn't be out of bed, sir."

"I'm fine!" The nurse was taken aback by the fierceness in his voice.

"Don't mind Ran," Omi reassured. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Oh, people have been streaming in all day with this disease. It's terrible, it's like an epidemic! They come in, covered in blood…all our ambulances are out and we're running out of room in the hospital. Family members," she gestured at Aya and Ran, "are put in the same room so we have enough space for everyone. But soon, we'll have to start sending people to other hospitals. There's only so much that can be done!" She walked up to Aya and began taking the girl's temperature.

"Do you know anything about the disease?" Omi asked. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure, no one is. Our staff is working on it without pause, but I hear it's not going too well. No one has ever seen this before. We don't even know what causes it, much less what cures it."

"I see." Omi thought silently for a moment. '_This is going to be more difficult than I thought,'_ he conceded to himself.

The nurse recorded Aya's temperature on her notepad and left silently.

"An epidemic…" Ran repeated the nurse's words.

"Did the doctor say anything about it?" Omi questioned curiously.

"About the disease? Not much. He said I was one of very few to even partially recover from it, that most people were still unconscious, and all that could be done was to stop the bleeding before they died. He said that even I am not fully recovered, that it will probably recur from time to time, just not as violently." Ran walked over to the door, more steady and unwavering with each step. "Schwarz, they're the only ones who could have created such a disease and turned it into an epidemic! This time, they shall not survive!" Eyes vibrant with hatred, he started out the door.

"No, Ran! Wait!" shouted Omi, catching up to him in the hallway. "You don't know that this disease was created at all! And you can't possible go up against Schwarz as you are now. Anyway, I don't believe Schwarz even exists anymore." He grabbed Ran's arm, stopping the angry ex-assassin from going further.

"Shut up and leave me alone!" Forcefully, he pulled away.

Omi knew he couldn't stop the taller, stronger man from leaving, even as ill as Ran was. He ran off in the direction of the waiting room to alert the others. Sakura, who had been watching with a frozen look of alarm on her face, started after Ran. However, one look at his eyes warned her away. "I…I will take care of Aya, while you're gone."

"Thank you." He turned and walked away without looking back.

"Stupid Ay, er…Ran, what is he thinking?!" On his way back to the waiting room, Omi passed two nurses pushing a stretcher with a red-haired woman on it. Quickly, he looked back at the patient. Then, "Manx?!"

Sure enough, it was Manx who was being carted away, blood flowing freely from her mouth and nose.

End Part One.

Note of the Authoress: I plan for this to be several chapters long, especially if I get reviews (hint, hint)! More Schwarz in following chapters, and I want to pick up the pace a bit… Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

Also, if you notice anything incorrect, please let me know. I'm not really all that familiar with hospitals. Arigatou!


	2. Violently Red Sunset

No Place Left To Run

By Secera Crystalfire

C2: Violently Red Sunset

The room was dark.

A voice from the shadows, "Someone's coming."

"Who is it?" The question was posed by a calm and self-assured voice.

"See for yourself, Crawford." Naoe Nagi moved out of the way of the computer screen, which was hooked up to a video camera of some sort. The image shown was from the entrance corridor of Crawford's headquarters.

"Weiss? Why is he here?"

"I sense hatred," a third voice interjected. Bright, malicious eyes and fiery orange-red hair glistened with the light given off by the computer screen. "Someone is looking to kill. Want me to deal with him?"

"No, I'll do that," Crawford stated decisively. "I do, however, want _you_ to go greet him."

"Of course. I'll take care of him for you."

"No, just greet him. I need him _unharmed_."

Schuldich concealed his surprise with a trademark evil smirk. "Sure," he agreed vivaciously. On his way to the door, however, the red-haired German made sure that Crawford saw the doubt written blatantly in his eyes. In a soft but intense voice that only the leader of Schwarz could hear, he added, "Much as I never thought I'd need to say it, I do wonder what you're thinking." Silently, he walked away into the darkness.

Brad Crawford's façade of perfect tranquility wavered for a moment as the words struck him. He knew that Schuldich had been avoiding him lately, but he had hoped and, yes, even prayed that there was some other reason. He could not allow anyone, even the other former members of Schwarz, to know the torment of his mind! His whole being repulsed the idea of others realizing his terrible weakness. And now, now he knew that the inevitable had come to pass.

Being the realist, he was aware that he couldn't have stopped it. However, in the depths of his mind he had hoped. And that hope was now destroyed.

Ran tried the door at the end of the corridor. Like the others, it was locked. Ah, well…he'd just have to break it open…

"No, don't break it," a voice behind him advised. "That won't be necessary today."

"You," Ran spun around to meet his opponent. "This time, I'll kill you all!"

"Kill me?" The voice was mocking. "Even before, you were never able to lay one finger on me. I'm quite confident that you will be incapable of doing so now, in your current state of weakness." To accentuate his words, Schuldich ran his finger along the side of Ran's face in a strangely affectionate manner, wiping away a stray drop of blood left over from the Weiss assassin's most recent fit of coughing. "You've been ill, I can tell. Your mind is so weak, even as I am now I can break into your thoughts with little effort."

Ran stood there silently and unmoving, paralyzed by his enemy's unique power. His eyes followed the German's hand along his face. As Schuldich finally pulled away, control returned and Ran adopted a fighting stance.

"You idiot! Do you still think you can win?!" Schuldich backhanded Ran across the face before the latter could respond. "You're weak!" He hit Ran again. "Your reflexes are so indolent that you can hardly expect to defeat a child!" Ran tensed for the expected blow, but it never came.

"Challenge me again when you aren't diseased. Also, be glad that Crawford has requested that you remain alive. For now." Schuldich turned away, reviewing the scattered thoughts that radiated so unprotected from the former Weiss leader. "Follow me. Aya, isn't it? I'm so bad with names…"

"Why should I follow you?!"

"We are the only ones who can cure your sister." He was gambling on this one, taking his best guess at the meaning of the images in the other assassin's head. Oh well, it was necessary.

The leader of Weiss stared at the arrogant mind reader with malevolence brimming in his eyes. Hating himself for it but hating the alternatives more, he conceded. "I will accept your terms. For Aya."

"Your sister is Aya, too? What a strange family you have…" Feeling relieved and needing to say something, Schuldich reverted to his pretense of amusement.

Aya remained silent.

Yohji looked up sharply at the end of Omi's oration. "So he ran off to kill Schwarz, huh? That's so like him, so senseless! I can't say I'm surprised."

"Yeah," agreed Omi. "There's no way we'll catch up to him before he gets there. I'm assuming he'll go directly to Crawford's headquarters."

"Headquarters? I thought Crawford was an assassin."

"Not anymore. I hear he's gone into politics, and funds a number of research labs besides. Not sure about the other Schwarz members, though."

"Great, another Masafumi." Ken muttered a few expletives.

"Don't think so. He's ruthless, but not so obsessive. Anyway," Omi changed the subject, "I saw Manx. So, she got it too, huh?"

"Yeah," Birman confirmed. "They wouldn't let us come back with her."

There was silence within the group for a moment. Ken broke it with "So, what did you find out?"

"Not much," Omi responded sullenly. "It's an epidemic that no one's ever seen and there's no cure. Almost no one has recovered, multitudes are dying."

Ken slammed his fist down on his chair's armrest. "Damn. No one's ever seen it, and now everyone's suddenly dying of it? It almost seems as though Ran has the right idea. Crawford _does_ have all the necessary equipment to do something like this."

"It's a possibility," Yohji agreed. "I wouldn't feel right if we didn't at least look into it."

"Yes, and we have to go there to save Ran anyway," Ken consented.

"So, what do you think, Omi? Wanna recreate Weiss?"

The youngest ex-assassin awakened from his contemplative daze. "Weiss?" He looked away, at the clusters of people whose emotions flowed almost visibly through the room. Anxiety, pensiveness, extensive fears verging on panic. Intense pain and knowledge of death, and the hatred and irrationality that come with both. Prevailing above all, though, was a love for those who had died and those who still remained. And there was hope. Fragile hope.

Omi hated Weiss. He hated murdering people. _But it doesn't matter. If one person's torment can save the multitudes, I will gladly endure any agony._ "Yes," he agreed softly.

"Birman? Can-"

"Don't worry, I'll stay here for the others. You boys just get to the bottom of this."

You," Schuldich turned to Aya, "may wait here," he gestured with one hand to the room they were standing outside of. It was a typical office; there was a wooden desk with a chair behind it in one corner. Other chairs and a few filing cabinets were arranged panoramically around the room.

"Wait for what?" Aya asked in a hostile tone.

"For one of us to return. You realize, of course, that we can't let you have free run of the place…" This was the one office that locked from the outside, and that is why Schuldich had chosen it over the others available. "Don't worry, Weiss kitten…someone will be here to get you shortly," the malicious German slipped back outside and locked the door before Aya realized what he was doing. He walked away, wincing at the thought of paying for a replacement door after Aya dented this one, as he most certainly would.

__

Stupid Crawford, having any interest in the Weiss assassin even for scientific purposes. _Ah well_, Schuldich couldn't really blame his leader. About a week ago, the Oracle had started having those awful visions. Day and night, they infested his mind and caused agony like he had never known before. Schu, being who he was, ended up sharing the torment of the precognitive until it got to a point that he couldn't handle it anymore. Brad was good at this, Schuldich wasn't. The power of selection did not come with the Mastermind's talent, so he did the only thing he could and began keeping as much distance as possible between himself and the torture called Brad Crawford.

Occupation, unfortunately, didn't agree with Schuldich's method of remaining sane. This had been cause for him to start blocking others' thoughts altogether, almost to the point where he could hear nothing from the minds around him. Only the thoughts of an unguarded mind remained clear to him. In other words, the red-haired German could only discern the thoughts of those with complete innocence or those who were afflicted.

__

Damn Crawford if the bastard isn't condemned already. He was being irrational and he knew it, but Schuldich was beyond caring at this point. He'd about had enough.

The sunset was violently red, the crimson of blood, and set the tone perfectly for the situation. Farfarello was there to greet the Weiss members as they arrived and he, unlike Schuldich, did not have orders to keep them alive…

End Part Two.

Note of the Authoress: This chapter was somewhat shorter than I'd have liked, I'll try harder next time. Now that everyone is introduced, I can start doing more with this. Hope you enjoyed, please review!


	3. Revelation Insanity

No Place Left to Run

By Secera Crystalfire

C3: Revelation Insanity

Schuldich had notified him that the Weiss assassin had the epidemic. And that he had recovered from it, although only partially.

Aya had recovered from the disease that plagued the Oracle's mind, but how? What had caused Aya to recover, when Crawford foresaw himself dying? What was the difference that condemned one and allowed the other to live?

He knew that going anywhere near the red-haired assassin might be the single event that would incapacitate him like in the visions. He didn't know how the disease was spread, after all.

But, was living with these visions really life at all? Every moment, knowing and fearing that he would suddenly fall into the world that his precognition dictated he would digress to…this was no way to live. And that was no way to die.

"And so," he concluded fiercely, "I challenge you, fate. I'll follow your dictation, but I will not allow myself to die in such a manner. These visions are false!"

The first to attack was Ken. The impulsive one, Farfarello remembered that much. However, the Weiss assassin's wantonness was not lacking reason. He was talented and athletic, and had reflexes that almost matched the speed of the Berserker himself. Almost.

Farfarello sidestepped and caught his adversary in the stomach with his knee. Only a former soccer player's deft agility saved Ken Hidaka from the Berserker's blade, which glistened red in the tainted light of sunset as Farfarello spun to parry Yohji's attack from behind.

"Give it up!" Omi resolutely advised the Schwarz warrior as Ken lifted himself to his feet, coughing blood.

"You're outnumbered," Siberian added forcefully, determinedly adopting a battle stance regardless of the blood flowing from his mouth and the lack of his usual weapon. "You cannot defeat us!"

"No way I can defeat you?" the Berserker sneered while circumventing Yohji's assault. "There's no way I can _not_ defeat you!"

"And how is that?" Yohji inquired through gritted teeth.

"You are weak. Weiss is weak!" Farfarello's blade slashed the side of Yohji face, creating a superficial cut that quickly became a horizontal line of red. "You've been out of the profession for too long!"

"No!" Yohji shouted, catching Farfarello in the stomach with his fist. The latter remained indifferent, he did not feel the pain that most would have recoiled from. 

Incapable of physical pain, the Berserker continued to live up to his name in the dying sunlight. The Weiss members could not defeat him, no one could defeat him! A feeling of elation rose above the torrent of pure hatred in his head. This was the same rapture that he knew whenever engaged in a battle, and only in a battle. The reason he chose to remain, to continue fighting…

A vague feeling of urgency suddenly broke through the drunken exhilaration of the fight. He could not place the thought, it seemed foreign amongst the chaotic mixture of emotions raging through his mind. But of course…Schuldich. The Mastermind who was losing his powers to the extent that a once vivid thought was now just a vague feeling.

Giving no explanation to his adversaries, Farfarello turned his back and retreated into Crawford's HQ building.

"What the…never mind." Not desiring to continue the fight if it was unnecessary to do so, Yohji turned back to where Omi was supporting Ken.

"He doesn't look good," Omi stated the obvious, "shouldn't the bleeding have stopped by now?"

"Yeah," was Yohji's response. "Forget stopping, it shouldn't have started in the first place. He wasn't hit _that_ hard."

"I wonder if…" Omi trailed off.

Ken looked up weakly. As each moment slipped by, it was becoming increasingly difficult to remain standing. "…Omi? Yohji? …Go ahead without me…I'm…not feeling exactly well…" He slumped downwards, finally giving in to the pain and fatigue. Omi was hard put to keep him from falling and injuring himself. With Yohji's help, Ken was lowered gently onto the cement.

"Yeah, it's the epidemic. You stay here with him, I'll go find Aya," Yohji concluded softly. A silent agreement passed between the two Weiss members who remained conscious. They parted ways without further discussion.

Schuldich stood in a brightly-lit hallway. Behind him was the door that led to the office Aya had been imprisoned within. In an uncharacteristically nervous gesture, the German man flipped his orange hair back over his shoulder. He was waiting.

Right on schedule, Crawford turned the corner and entered the corridor that Schuldich was guarding. "Are you going to stop me?" he asked without further explanation.

"I am. I will not allow you to kill yourself." Schuldich's voice remained forcibly calm and even.

"Move aside," growled Brad. "I order you, as leader or Schwarz, to get out of my way!"

"No." Still calm.

"Don't you see?!" Crawford tried a different tactic. "I cannot go on like this! If I become infected, the visions will go away!" He thought a moment, then added, "You cannot go on like this either, can you? It is killing you, just as it is destroying me."

"I don't care, damn it! I will not allow you to die!" Voice now rising with both anger and concern, the façade of calmness shattering.

Crawford's eyes shone with recklessness and derangement behind reflective lenses. "I will not die!"

"You know you will! I've seen everything you have, and there is not a single future in which you survive!" Schuldich stretched his arms outward to block the Oracle's path. "I don't care what people think, even what you think. If it means protecting you from this fate, I will do anything."

"Protect me? By doing so, you are condemning me! Life as it is now is not worth living, the only way to truly survive is to write my own future! …You've always been on top of the world, you can't know."

"Stop being irrational." Schuldich's hand wavered as he reached for his gun_. 'Just to scare him, just to make him see sense'_, Schuldich repeated that thought in his head.

He was too late. Crawford, even as unbalanced as he was at the moment, saw his associate's ominous movement and whipped out his own pistol during the other's hesitation. "Move out of the way," the Oracle ordered with a dangerous tone.

Schuldich's fingers loosened and his gun dropped to the floor. Its clattering was the only sound that could be heard as the two colleagues faced each other, one with an expression of maniacal determination and the other with resentful alarm.

There was no choice, Schuldich stepped out of Brad's way and submitted to fate.

"Tot wants to show Nagi something," the smiling blue-haired girl declared.

"Huh? Just a moment." Nagi Naoe was concentrating on his computer screen, watching the exchange between Crawford and Schuldich. 

Tot walked over to where Nagi was sitting. "Nagi shouldn't pry into other people's problems."

"That's strange to hear coming from you." _'What are those idiots doing?!' _He watched Schuldich move to the side, defeated.

"Tot wants to show Nagi something," Tot repeated insistently.

"Okay," Nagi conceded, turning off the computer. "What is it?"

"Come with Tot."

Crawford walked past Schuldich and opened the door to the office.

"What…Damn him!"

Schuldich peered into the room from behind the raging Oracle. Aya was gone; the window was shattered. Mastermind sighed softly with relief.

"He must have jumped down, maybe we can still catch him."

"No, Bradley, I don't believe you'll be doing that today." Just as the Oracle realized that his back shouldn't be to his opponent, Schuldich knocked him out. "For your own good."

There was a large building situated behind the Crawford headquarters. A sign above the doorway read 'RESEARCH LAB #3'. Tot from Shreient, employed now by Crawford at Nagi's insistence, led the Prodigy through the doorway into an expansive room. After being in Masafumi's group for X number of years, the Shreient girl had become adept in the field of science. Thus, Crawford had agreed to take her on as an employee despite the immaturity that she had never quite grown out of.

Now, she was pulling Nagi towards a table in the corner of the room. On the table, the large and expensive mechanisms and scientific equipment that surrounded it dwarfed a simple microscope. The sound of lab animals could be heard from all corners of the room, as per the fact that the two intruders had rudely awakened them.

"Here, look here!" Tot urged Nagi towards the microscope, "Look in it."

Nagi followed her direction with curiosity. On the microscope slide was something moving. He adjusted the focus and several small shapes became clearer. They were dyed bluish-purple. "What are they?"

"They are beautiful, that's what Tot thinks. Does Nagi think so, too?"

"But what _are_ they?"

"Fine." She stuck out her tongue teasingly. "A disease. They will kill Weiss, and everyone else who hurt Tot and Nagi. They will avenge Masafumi, Hel Shoen, and Neu…Tot's family."

"What?!"

Tot looked hurt at Nagi's reaction. "Don't you want to pay Weiss back for what they did, Nagi? Tot wants to pay them back, she hasn't forgotten."

"Of course I do, but this isn't the way to do it. You _do_ know that this is killing thousands of others as well, do you?! And that's only the beginning!"

"They would hurt tot and Nagi. They already _have_ hurt us. They deserve to die!"

"I'm sorry," Nagi shook his head, "I cannot agree with your method."

"Wha…" Tot looked dazed. She had never imagined this reaction. "Why…doesn't Nagi like Tot?"

"No, that's not it! It's just that-"

"Nagi hates Tot, doesn't he?! Otherwise you wouldn't…" she broke off, wiping away a single tear.

"No, Tot, I _do_ like you! Please, please just listen," he started, mind racing.

"No! Tot won't listen!" she ran from the room and slammed the door behind her. Several birds and rats screeched at her as she left.

"Tot!" Nagi ran after her, slapping himself mentally for reacting the way he did even though there was no other way he could have reacted under the circumstances.

Aya was balanced precariously on a thin ledge protruding from the HQ building. He was three floors up, level with the window that he had shattered and climbed out of. The ledge ran along the whole side of the structure, and Aya was inching along it towards the only way down apart from jumping: a tall pine tree that was growing alongside the building. It would be a bit of a jump to get to, but not as far as it would be if he were to fall three stories to a cement parking lot.

After moving Brad to a different office and positioning him on the couch, Schuldich made his way down to the first floor and went outside. The red-haired German wanted to make sure that Aya was disposed of before Crawford woke up and got any more strange notions. He doubted that the assassin had survived the fall, as ill as he already was, but it was always best to make sure. And, even if Aya had died, he would need to be moved. Schuldich loathed the idea, but it was of necessity.

Walking around the side of the building, Schuldich heard someone running and breathing heavily. He reached for his gun.

"Schuldich!" It was Nagi's voice. "Where'd she go?!"

"Who?"

"Oh, Tot! She…" he was gasping heavily, "ran away…the disease…where'd she go? Did you see her?!"

"Tot…Disease? What about a disease?!"

"She created it…the one that's killing everyone. She told me about it. Where'd she run off to?"

Schuldich involuntarily took a step back. "She…she created it? Nagi, is that true?!"

"She said she wanted…to avenge Masafumi and Shreient, to kill Weiss." He jumped as his associate's face suddenly became a mask of pure hatred and fury. "It's not her fault, don't hurt her! As long as none of us get sick, everything's all right! Isn't it?"

The expression on Schuldich's face clearly stated 'NO'. "You…you don't know, do you?"

"Huh? Know what?"

"I'll kill her!" Ignoring Nagi's stricken look of terror and vehement protests, he ran off in the direction that the Shreient girl had most likely been heading.

Aya had been watching the exchange between his two enemies from the ledge, hoping and praying that neither would look up. About halfway through the dispute, the disease had begun doing its work again and he had felt a violent need to commence coughing. Blood started flowing into his mouth once more and he let it pool there for as long as possible, wishing fervently that the two would leave.

Finally, Schuldich ran away and was followed shortly after by Nagi. Aya gratefully let the blood gush out from his mouth and fall to the cement below. The coughing fit followed and Aya did his best to remain quiet enough as to not alert anyone to his presence there.

Soon after, it all stopped, leaving Aya feeling weak and lightheaded. Intelligently, he waited for a minute before beginning to inch along the thin ledge once again.

__

'So it's the Shreient girl,' he thought to himself, raging inside. _'She did this…SHI-NE!'_

End Part 3.

Note of the Authoress: Yep, we're nearing the end. Poor Bradley and Schuldich…that was harsh, I know. Ah well, you'll have to read the next installment to find out what happens! Oh, and _please_ review! Secera loves reviews! They make me feel happy and inspired! Wouldn't you like to make someone feel happy and inspired? 

~Secera~


	4. Repentance of Blood

No Place Left To Run

By Secera Crystalfire

C4: Repentance of Blood

Farfarello wandered through the offices and hallways of the third floor. He knew that Schuldich's request for assistance had come from somewhere around here…

One of the offices had a light on, unlike the others. Farfarello cautiously entered the room, letting the door creak shut behind him. No, the German wasn't in here…but Crawford was. As Farfarello walked towards the Schwarz leader, he wondered why the man was sleeping on the couch, and at a time like this.

Dreamless, visionless sleep. It was such a simple concept, but seemed ultimately foreign to him. It had been what felt like ages since he had been able to enjoy this simple comfort. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived pleasure.

Brad Crawford awoke to a pair of blurry golden-yellow eyes staring curiously at him. He cursed loudly as the memories started flooding into his mind, dispelling blithe ignorance and causing what threatened to become a migraine headache. Or maybe it was the painful lump on the back of his head that was causing the headache, he wasn't sure.

"That bastard…what are _you_ doing here?" The Oracle peered up at Farfarello with hazy vision.

"Mastermind called. What happened?"

"Not now." Brushing dark hair from his face, Crawford got up from the couch. And unsteadily fell back down onto it.

Farfarello pretended to ignore Brad's futile attempts to regain his balance. "Suit yourself. Where's Schuldich?"

"I don't know, but go find him." '_Stop being so weak',_ he shouted mentally to himself. _'Ignore pain!'_

Farfarello silently left the room in search of Schuldich. 

Crawford's attempts to get up failed again and again. The torrent of pain that flooded his head was making him feel distinctively faint and nauseous. His vision was still cloudy despite the presence of his glasses. He coughed loudly and an unpleasant taste entered his mouth. Dread flooding his mind, he touched the tip of a finger to his tongue. When he pulled the finger away, it was covered in crimson.

The Oracle could not help but succumb to his overbearing weariness. He slumped from his sitting position on the couch and fell once more into the depths of unconsciousness. This time, however, he did not escape the visions.

Running, sprinting, dodging, leaping. Her breaths are rasping and labored; she is hyperventilating. Can't take much more of this, but the adrenaline and the fear make her endure the agony and keep running.

The city at night is not a friendly place, but she pays no heed. She is strong, after all…isn't she? Yes, of course she is. And besides, her disease has cleared the streets.

She continues to run, but begins now to wonder where she is going. This world holds no place for her except with the other. But the other hates her.

__

'No, he doesn't hate me, he can't hate me!' 

The child in her mind thinks in terms of black-and-white. If he, Nagi, disagrees with her, then it must be because he hates her. But the woman says no, that isn't the way things work. He, Nagi, still cares despite any disagreements.

She wonders who is correct. 

Always in the past, Tot has chosen to trust the child. Children are innocent and honest. Adults are manipulative and deceitful.

Tears roll down her face as she halts in the street…there is no left place to run for someone such as she.

Yohji still hadn't managed to find Aya, and hadn't run into any of the Schwarz members either since the battle against Farfarello. A cold draft of air hit him as he opened the door to a random office. The office's window had been shattered and was letting in the icy night breeze. Yohji shivered as he walked forward to look out the window. No, there wasn't anyone laying on the cement ground three stories beneath it. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to go search another room.

In the next office over, Yohji found a sight even more startling than the shattered window. Hanging half off the couch was the unconscious form of the Oracle. On the floor beneath him was a growing pool of blood.

Schuldich ran after the Shreient girl with the goal of claiming her life. She had caused both him and the other Schwarz members, mainly Brad, unimaginable anguish with the epidemic she had created. He would not forgive her this time.

Nagi was shouting something from behind him, but the boy's voice was becoming more and more distant as he lost ground. Naoe, being younger, shorter, and less athletic, could not match Schuldich's pace. And neither could the Shreient girl, Tot. Apparently she realized this fact, because suddenly she came to a halt in the middle of an empty street.

Schuldich didn't have his weapon of choice or any weapon for that matter, but that was not an issue. He could fight without a weapon just fine, and had definite plans to do so real soon.

Nagi turned a corner and saw the Mastermind and Tot facing each other. Schuldich had a maniacal glint in his eyes, he looked about ready to seriously hurt the girl… "No! I will not allow this!!" Nagi focused his powers.

Schuldich felt his entire body become suddenly constricted. He was completely incapable of anything but the very minor movements. "Damn you, Naoe!" He turned his eyes towards the young telekinetic boy. "Let go of me, now! She would destroy us all. It's time for you to get over your childish desires and see past your delusions!"

"No, I won't let anyone hurt her! She does not mean to harm us. You don't, do you, Tot?"

"Tot…" Her voice caught in her throat. The tears continued.

"You…" Schuldich impatiently started for her, wishing his powers were strong again. Nagi's telepathy was holding him about a foot off the ground. How frustrating.

"Tot is sorry, she understands now. _I_ understand now." She chose the woman, renouncing the child. The woman could love, and not just the admiration of a dependent child. She could know love, true love. The woman had a place in the world.

"Shut up. You don't know anything." The red-haired man was glaring at her.

"I do, I'm so sorry…I meant to hurt, to destroy, and in doing so create a world of my own. But I see the truth now, Nagi, I understand now. Please, please forgive me. I'm so sorry…but I can stop it all. I created the disease, and now I will cure this world of it. Nagi, can you accept this? Can you help me?"

Schuldich was about to make a snide comment, but the word 'cure' made him stop and think. He hated to admit it, but with so many people taken by the epidemic, there was little hope of finding a cure without her. The bloodlust faded, although hatred remained.

"Yes, yes I can. Of course I can, Tot." Nagi walked forward to the girl and wiped a tear from her face.

"Thank you, Nagi. Tot, no…_I_…love you."

The two embraced in the middle of the empty street. Schu rolled his eyes, still hovering a foot above the ground thanks to Nagi's powers. As the embrace became more intimate, Nagi lost his concentration and Schuldich fell heavily onto the pavement.

"Curse you, Naoe…"

End Part 4.

Note of the Authoress: Yeah, that was short. But I decided to separate this last section into two separate parts so I have five chapters instead of four. I hope you enjoyed, and I should have the last part up fairly soon. Thanks for reading, please review (constructive criticism, comments, worship, flames…anything!^_^)! ~Secera~


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